Magazine-pistol



(No Model.)

Witnesses.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1. W. H. GATES.

MAGAZINE PISTOL.

Patented Aug. 25, 1.896.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. H. GATES. MAGAZINE PISTOL.

No. 566,513. Patented Aug. Z5, 1896.

// Inventor.

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MAGAZINE-PISTO L.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 566,513, dated August25, 1896. Application filed August 15,1895. Serial No. 559,351. (Nomodel.)

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GATES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vorcester, in the county of lVbrcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMagazine-Pistols, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a magazine-pistol or similar iirearm, and theobject of my invention is to provide a strong, simple, and compact rearmwhich will shoot more accurately than the ordinary revolver, and inwhich the operating mechanism is so constructed that there will belittle danger of accident.

To these ends my invention consists of the parts and combinations ofparts as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figures l, 2, 3, and 4 aresectional views of a magazine-pistol constructed according to myinvention, the operating parts being shown in different relativepositions. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are sectional plan views, the parts beingshown in dierent relative positions; and Fig. 8 is a transversesectional view, illustrating the action of the ejector.

magazine pistol or firearm constructed according to my inventioncomprises a sliding bolt which is arranged to feed a cartridge into thefiring-chamber, and an operating-piece for the bolt, said bolt and saidoperating-piece being provided with engaging surfaces for locking thebolt in its forward position, so that it will not be thrown back by theconcussion or recoil when a cartridge is exploded.

In the construction as illustrated the sliding .bolt is provided with aspring firing-pin,which is withheld by a sear or detent when the bolt isbeing moved forward, the scar or detent being released after a cartridgehas been fed into the firing-chamber and the sliding bolt has beenlocked in its forward position. This operating mechanism is located atthe rear of the magazine, while the trigger is pivoted in front of themagazine and is connected to this mechanism by a suitable link, which isarranged at one side of the magazine.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated my improvements asapplied to a magazine-pistol certain features of my invention can beemployed in rifles or other firearms without departing from the scope ofmy invention, as hereinafter pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, 10 designates a suitable frame;11, the barrel, having a counterbore or firing-chamber 35 at its rearend; 12, a trigger-guard, and 13 a magazine, which is located near thecenter of the pistol. The cartridges may be introduced into the magazine13 in any of the usual ways and will be forced up into position to beacted upon by the operating devices by means of a magazine-spring 14 anda follower 15. The parts thus far referred to may be of any of theordinary or approved constructions, and need not be described at length.

Mounted in the frame of the pistol at the rear of the magazine, andarranged to force the top cartridge of the magazine into thefiring-chamber, is a sliding bolt 16. A cylindrical firing-pin 17,having areduced central portion and collars or enlargements near itsends, is loosely mounted in the sliding bolt 16, and is normally forcedforward by a spiral spring 18. A detent or scar 29, pivoted in theframing, extends 'up through a slot in the sliding bolt 16 in positionto engage with the rear collar or enlargement of the iiring-pin 17, towithhold the firing-pin until released by the operating piece or lever,as hereinafter described. The sliding bolt 16 is provided near its rearend with a downwardlyextending lug or projection 19, which is slotted,as at 20, so as not to engage or interfere with the scar 29. behind thelug or projection 19 is an operating piece or lever 2l, which is pivotedat its lower end, and iits into a socket in the pistolframe and takes upthe concussion, as hereinafter described. The sliding bolt 16 isprovided near its rear end with curved surfaces,

Normally engaging which, when the sliding bolt is in its forwardposition, mesh with and engage surfaces 22 and 23, which are formed onthe lever 2l concentrically with its pivot. 24 is pivoted near its rearend to the sliding bolt 16, and is provided with a slot 25, which fitsover and engages a pin in the operatinglever 21.

A retracting-link IOO The trigger 26 is pivoted in the frame of thepistol in front of the magazine, and is provided with the ordinary trigger-spring 27, for normally holding the trigger in its forwardposition. A link 28, pivoted to the upper part of the trigger 26 and tothe operatinglever 21, forms a permanent connection between said triggerand the operating-lever. By means of this construction, when the trigger26 is pulled, the operating-lever and the sliding bolt will be movedforward. When the trigger is released, the trigger-spring 27 will movethe parts back to their normal position.

As shown most clearly in Figs. to 8, I pro-V vide an extractor-hook 30,which is loosely mounted on the side of the sliding bolt 16 by means ofslots, which are engaged by small screws, as 31. The end of theejector-hook 30 is arranged to fit into a small recess 32 at the side ofthe firing-chamber. In a firearm as thus constructed the normal positionof the parts is illustrated in Fig. 1. When the trigger 26 is pulled,the operating-lever 21 will be turned, forcing forward the sliding bolt16.

When the sliding bolt 16 has reached the forward limit of its travel,the surfaces 22 and 23 of the operating-lever will be brought intoengagement with the corresponding surfaces upon the sliding bolt,locking the bolt in its forward position some time before theoperating-lever is moved into engagement with the sear or detent.Inasmuch as the surfaces 22 and 23 are concentric with the pivot of theoperating-lever, the continued motion of the operating-lever will bringthe lever into engagement with the sear or detent, but will not move thesliding bolt. During the travel of the sliding bolt the firing-pin willbe withheld by the sear or detent 29. `When the operating-lever isbrought into engagement with the sear or detent, the firing-pin will bereleased and the cartridge will be exploded.

When the pistol is fired,the operating parts will have assumedsubstantially the position illustrated in Fig. 3, and it is to be notedthat the surfaces 22 and 23 of the operating-lever will be in engagementwith the corresponding surfaces upon the sliding bolt, and that thesliding bolt will be locked or held in its forward position, so that therecoil cannot possibly throw the same back, as the sliding bolt and theoperating-lever will form substantially a wedging joint, transmittingthe entire recoil directly to the frame of the pistol.

When the trigger is released, the parts will be moved back under thetension of the trigger-spring 27, and the slot 25 in the retractin glink24 will allow the required amount of lost motion to move the surfaces 22and 23 out of engagement with the sliding bolt, the parts first assumingthe position illustrated in Fig. 4 and then moving freely back undertension of the trigger-spring to their normal position, as in Fig. 1.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the framing of the pistol is provided with anoutlet-chamber 350, having a shoulder 36 near its lower end for normallyretaining the cartridges in position.

When the sliding bolt 16 is in its rear position, the extractor-hook 30will be brought into engagement with a shoulder 37 in the pistol-framingand will be thrown forward so as to be well front of the cartridge-rims.When the sliding bolt 16 is moved forward, the extractor-hook 30 willlit into the recess 32 and will reach the end of its travel before theend of the travel of the sliding bolt.

In practice I have found this loose connection for the extractor-hook anexceedingly desirable feature of construction, as the recess 32 can bemade quite small and need not extend a great distance into thefiring-chamber, and on this account I am enabled to construct a pistolwhich lis much more nearly gastight than in constructions in which theextractor-hook is rigidly secured upon the sliding bolt. It is also tobe noted that by means of this construction the sliding bolt will startback and will have acquired a considerable amount of momentum before theextractorhook comes into contact with the rim of the shell, and I havefound in practice that where this construction is employed the tendencyof the cartridges to stick in the ring-chamber will be overcome.

When the sliding bolt is drawn back, the extractor-hook 30 will engagethe cartridgerim at one side of the shell, and will turn the front endof the shell out of engagement with the shoulder 36, so that themagazine-spring will force the shell out of the pistol, as illustratedin Fig. 8, bringing the succeeding cartridge in position to be actedupon.

When the pistol is to be put away or not to be used for a time, it isdesirable to provide a cover for the ejector-opening, so as to preventdust from accumulating upon the operating mechanism, and for thispurpose I preferably provide a slide or cover, which is openedautomatically when the pistol is iired.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 7, 38 designates a slide or cover, which isnormally held open by means of a spring 39. At its forward end the cover38 is provided with a catch or detent 40, which is arranged to engagewith a springcatch 41. The spring-catch 41 is offset or provided with ashoulder 42, located in the path of the extractor-hook 30. By means ofthis construction, when the sliding bolt 16 is moved forward to iire thepistol the extractorhook 30 will throw back the spring-catch 41, asillustrated in Fig. 6, allowing the slide to move back, or open underthe tension of the spring 39.

I am aware that many changes may be made in the construction ofmagazine-firearms by those who areskilled in the art, and that certainparts of my invention can be used in different combinations and indifferent locations without departing from the scope of my invention asexpressed in the claims. I do not IOO IIO

wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction which I have shownand described; but

W'hat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

l. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a sliding bolt arranged tofeed a cartridge into the iiring-chamber, an operating-piece for thebolt, said bolt and said operating-piece having engaging surfaces forlooking the slide in its forward position, and a pivoted triggerpermanently connected to said operatingpiece, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a magazine-rearm, the combination of a sliding bolt arranged tofeed a cartridge into the ring-chamber, and an operating-lever socketedinto and pivoted in the frame of the firearm, said bolt and saidoperating-le- .Ver being provided with engaging surfaces for looking thebolt in its forward position, a pivoted trigger, and a link permanentlyconnecting the trigger and the operating-lever, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a sliding bolt arranged tofeed a cartridge into the firing-chamber, an operating-piece for thebolt, said bolt and said operating-piece having engaging surfaces forlocking the bolt in its forward position, a loose connection between thebolt and the operating-piece for retracting the bolt, and a pivotedtrigger connected permanently to the operating-piece, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a magazine-iirearm, the combination of a sliding bolt arranged tofeed a cartridge into the firing-chamber, apivoted operatinglever forsaid bolt, said bolt and said operating-lever being provided withengaging surfaces for locking the bolt in its forward position, aslotted link loosely connecting said bolt and said lever, a pivotedtrigger and a link permanently connecting the trigger and theoperatinglever, scribed.

substantially as de-` 5, In a magazine-rearm, the combination of asliding bolt, a pivoted operating-lever for the bolt, said bolt and saidlever being provided with engaging surfaces for locking the bolt in itsforward position, and a springpressed firing-pin mounted in the slidingbolt, a scar or detent for withholding the ring-pin located in the pathof movement of the operating-lever, and a slotted link connecting thebolt and lever for withdrawing the bolt, substantially as described.

6. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a sliding bolt arranged tofeed a cartridge into the firing-chamber, a pivoted operatinglever forsaid bolt, a pivoted trigger and a link permanently connected to saidtrigger and said lever, the parts being arranged so that the bolt willbe moved forward when the trigger is pulled, substantially as described.

In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a sliding bolt arranged tofeed a cartridge into the firing-chamber, a pivoted operatinglever forsaid bolt, a pivoted trigger, a trigger-spring, and alink permanentlyconnected to said trigger and said lever, the parts being arranged sothat the bolt will be moved forward when the trigger is pulled, and willbe moved back by the trigger-spring when the trigger is released,substantially as described.

v8. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a frame, a spring-pressedcover-slide, a sliding bolt arranged to feed a cartridge into thefiring-chamber, and a catch for holding the cover-slide closed, saidcatch being arranged in the path of the movement of the sliding bolt,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. GATES. lVitnesses:

LoUIs W. SOUTHGATE, PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE.

